Volunteer Hours

2017 Instructions for Recording Volunteer Hours

Please contact Burt Koske at kobur@cox.net if you have questions about the following instructions.

Sons of Norway collects the number of events, hours and funds that lodges and districts devote to membership and community activities. This information is required by the American Fraternal Alliance (AFA). The AFA uses our data to lobby on the behalf of fraternal benefit societies.

Two Google Forms are available. You can submit Individual hours and Group Event hours electronically, rather than sending paper to the Lodge Secretary. Use the following links to record hours:

All Group Events and Individual Activities should include round trip travel time. If individual travel time is not available for group events, use 1.5 round trip hours.

Activities are either “Membership” or “Community” activities. Nearly all are “Membership” activities. The list of “Community” activities is listed at the end of these Instructions.

Please keep in mind:

Volunteer hours are only for Sons of Norway activities.

Precision is not important - be generous.

Members’ hours do not have to be recorded in the month they occurred. They can be submitted at any time during the year. However, it is preferable if entries are made promptly.

The Individual Hours Form / Individual Activity Tracking Sheet

To be used by lodge members to track their individual Sons of Norway volunteer hours, with the exception of group events (see Group Event Hours Form below).

Include Individual member hours for preparation and planning for Group Events.

If performing similar activities (e.g., Officer Duties) during a month. You can combine the activities into a single entry for the month.

Use the Individual Hours Form (see link above).

Members submit their hours on the Individual Tracking Forms (monthly if possible)

Board Members should use "Officer Duties" for most activities, unless it is not part of your assigned duties.

The Group Event Hours Form

To be used for group events (3 or more members). Do not enter individual activities on the Group Event Form. Activities during the Group Event are included in a single entry.

The event leader or Lodge Secretary should make the entry for Group events.

Major Group meeting entries should be made by the Secretary: including lodge meetings, board meetings, and Festival/Bazaar

Entries for Other Group Events should be made by the Group Leader including: Reading Circle, GIG, Syttende Mai Picnic, Fairfax Fall Festival, and other committee meetings, etc.

Group Events include total participants (members & non-members). Total number of volunteers are recorded, but only members’ hours are recorded.

Festival/Bazaar: This is a group activity (Group Event Form), it involves multiple days and many members. The Lodge sets up a separate Google form for volunteers to determine the times and hours that they plan to work. Then we estimate hours worked over the 3-day period. Hours include: selling, loading and hauling, café with food service, set-up, check out, take-down, clean-up and travel time.

Lodge Meetings: Include preparation hours for homemade potluck items. Store-bought items do not count. Include member hours for set-up, clean-up and food preparation. Members who just attend a lodge meeting will not be recorded unless they participate in the business meeting.

New Member Brunch: New members, lodge officers/directors/committee chairs who contribute.

Language Class: Since members have to pay a fee, volunteer hours for the Language Class are not counted. However, the number of Language Class events during the year is recorded only on the Lodge Achievement Form. Setup and cleanup hours before and after the classes should be recorded on the Individual Tracking form.

Generally: Include hours for members who actively contribute to group events.